THE MECHANICSBURG SPORTSMEN'S NEWSLETTER

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

October 2000

______A Big hello to all members. This being the last newsletter for the year 2000, I will try to bring you up to date on things done and not done during the past year. After two or three promises for the indoor pistol range to open, and with not too many people volunteering to help (including pistol shooters), the range is complete. Thanks to the following people: Glenn Zimmerman, Foster Kemberling, Dan Jones, Mark Jones, Jerry Coleman, Ron Keslar, Steve George, Vince Grenkevich and Dick Roth. Thanks also to any others who gave a few hours of their time. The range will be ready to open as soon as I can get the state's final inspection. I must say, the project took at least one year too long to complete, don't ask why.

 ______The old parking lot lighting is complete; two dusk till dawn lights have been installed. New lights have been installed at the trap field and new dusk till dawn lights have been installed at the new building. 

 ______The shotgun patterning range has been enclosed for safety purposes, and believe me, this was work for men, and not men with weak backs. Thanks to Steve George, Dick Roth, Vince Grenkevich and me this range is second to none for safety, and will be there for a long time, barring some foolish action to move it. (it will take a back hoe.)

______Now I will let you know where we get the funds to do the work. The major source of income is from membership dues, after that, various activities sponsored by the club produce significant revenue. Trap shoots make money every week. Dick Roth, the trap director, is very dedicated to this effort along with his volunteers Vince Grenkevich, Dick Chekovich, Phil Snyder, Tim Hake, Roger Jumper, Harry Ward, and Dan Rider. They all put in at least three to four hours a week to make this a first class event, and also to put some money in the bank. 

______Phil Mentzer and the Archery Club held two P.S.A.A. shoots on weekends netting between five and six thousand dollars. His volunteers were Joe Kuhn, Mike Rider, Vern Vandervender, Bob Weaver, Dan Rider, Jim Sterner, Joann Mentzer, and Sharon Rider.

______The weekly block shoots, run by Director Dave Eakin, brought in between six and seven thousand dollars this year. His volunteers include Dave Vogelsong, Glenn Zimmerman, Roger Jumper, Dave Weaver, Pat Eakin, John Kinsley, Dan Rider, Rich Barr, Bill Bates, Dick Roth, and Don Heckman.

______The fish nursery, under Director Dave Eakin, does not bring in a lot of money but the service it provides is invaluable. I cannot tell you what the fun and relaxation it provides to our members is worth in dollars. It provides fish for the Kid's Fishing Derby, stocks various streams and our club pond, and provides fish for the Carlisle Handicap Fishing Derby and Jubilee Day. Thank you to the feeders who volunteer to feed the fish everyday. It means a lot to the club. 

______I want to say thanks to some of the people who have donated equipment to do the work with the lights. Don Lenk lent a bucket truck six or eight times for installing and setting the lights. Mark Jones brought a line truck for setting poles and pulling wires. Guy Eckert provided equipment for the back hoe work, and Heim Electric donated a pole transport truck. This equipment is expensive and I doubt that the work would have been completed if the club had to pay an hourly rate to get it done. It appears that no one realizes that this was a great service to the club, perhaps because they were not there when the work was done. 

______This report should have been able to report more accomplishments for the year, and I am not satisfied that I could not accomplish more for the good of the club. 

______Again, a big thanks to the directors, volunteers, and equipment donators. Together we have improved the club appearance and services. If I had missed anyone, believe me, it was not intentional, so thanks to everyone who gave volunteer time. 

______I  wish everyone a safe and successful hunting season and a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

Block Shoots
By Dave Eakin

______The block shoots went very well. I want to thank everyone that filled in for me in my absence. 

______The block shoots will start again on the Second Monday of January, which is January 8, 2001. I would like to see the number of shooters continue to be over 100 next year. 

Firearm Education
by Linda Tucker

______One of our goals in the year 2000 was the development and implementation of a comprehensive firearm education program. Over 200 participants attended our NRA certification classes this year. We offered classes in pistol, rifle, shotgun, home firearm safety, personal protection and reloading. 

______We also provided rifle instructors for the South Central Outdoors for Youth field day events. We provided rifle, pistol, shotgun, and firearm safety instruction for the National Wild Turkey Federation Women in the Outdoors event in September. Our team of instructors additionally volunteered for a wide variety of instructional events throughout Pennsylvania, including 4-H, American Legion, Boy Scouts, and Youth Hunter Education Challenge. 

______Many of the participants had no prior experience with firearms or the sportsmen's community. They frequently expressed their appreciation that members of our association were willing to share their ranges and the time to support the education program. many have since joined our association.   

______We are developing our year 2001 schedule, and our classes will be posted on the NRA web site www.nra.org as well as on this site. In addition to current classes, we plan to add muzzleloader and NRA Instructor classes to our program in 2001. Email Linda Tucker  if you are interested in attending a class.

Hunter Safety Course
By Jim McDermott

______A hunter safety course will be held Thursday, February 22, 2001 from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM. and Saturday February 24, 2001 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. A light lunch will be served free of charge. Participants must attend both sessions to become certified and pre-registration is required. Call Jim McDermott @ 766-9781.

Lost and Found
By Steven George

______Several items have been found around the rifle, pistol and shotgun ranges. If you have lost anything, please contact Steven George at 766-7421

Fish Nursery
by Dave Eakin

______The fish are growing nicely. We received an extra 200 Golden Trout from the state and they will be stocked next season. We are continuing to stock the pond this winter and will try to stock every month or every other month. Signs will be posted when fish are stocked. We can still use several more feeders, if anyone is interested, please call me at 245-9664.

SOUTH CENTRAL OUTDOORS FOR YOUTH
By Linda Tucker

______The Mechanicsburg Sportsmen's Association will host a youth field day on May 19, 2001.

______Mechanicsburg members are welcome at all South Central Outdoors for Youth meetings. Volunteers and donations are needed for the 2001 events. E-mail Linda Tucker  if you are interested in supporting the event.

______On behalf of the youth field of Cumberland and Adams County, we would like to thanks the following for their donations to the year 2000 events: Mechanicsburg Sportsmen's Association Youth .22 Teams, American Legion Post 1001 of Harrisburg, and member Dick Cekovich of 3R Gun shop.

Thank you for your commitment to our youth.

TRAP
By Dick Roth

Reflecting on the past year:

* Our 4th trap house is totally surrounded by grass and even has concrete steps to go down to the pads from the parking lot.

* We are capable of throwing single birds or double birds from the first and second houses, and single and handicap from all four houses.

* We have installed voice activated release pullers (calling into a little box that sits in front of you which sends the bird out of the house) on all four trap houses. I personally wanted to thank all of the trap shooters who donated their money to fund the purchase of this equipment. The list is too staggering to mention all of the people who donated their time and money to this endeavor.

* We have relocated the lights for better night shooting (not longer hours, we still shoot until around 8:30 PM)

* We have installed night-lights to better light up the parking lot.

* We have a light dinner buffet every Thursday evening for trap shooters.

* We won the Carlisle Industrial League.

* We have three different leagues that we participate in.

* We still shoot every Thursday evening, so come on out with that ol' scattergun and see what you have been missing. IF YOU HAVE A SHOT GUN, YOU ARE A TRAP SHOOTER!

GATE COMBINATION& CLUBHOUSE KEYS

______The combination to the gate will be changed and the locks will be changed on the clubhouse doors on February 7, 2001.

YOUTH .22 TEAM
By John Gingrich

______The youth .22 team will meet every Tuesday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and every Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00 AM. The indoor .22 range will be closed during those hours.

ARCHERY REPORT
By Phil Mentzer

______Another year is coming to an end and the Archery Club had another good one. We held three major shoots this year.

______First, we had the National Field Archery Association Mid-Atlantic Sectional Field Championships. Shooters came from Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, for a total of 200 shooters.

______Second, was the PA State Archery Association Field Championship, with 190 shooters.

______Third, was the PA State Archery Association Bow hunter Animal Championship, with 140 shooters.

______All three shoots make good money for the club. I wish to thank everyone who helps prepare and run these shoots. This thank you is from the archers who help me get the course and targets ready so they may shoot. This is to the people who park cars, help in the kitchen, and run the food tent. Without your help, these shoots would not happen. The people who come to these shoots always comment on how well things run and how nice the people from our club are.

______Thanks again from Phil Mentzer and the archers.

______Once again, I would like anyone who needs help setting up a bow or who would like to have some fun shooting their bow, to come join us on Tuesday nights. We will be starting our club league in January. Anyone wishing to shoot must be present at the January meeting. Too many people have been signing up to shoot and then not shooting.

______I hope to see some new faces around the clubhouse this winter along with some old ones.

______Shoot Straight and Safe

______Following are the shooters who placed this year at the State Championships:

____________1999 All Round Champions
____________Cadet Freestyle - Jason Bullock
____________Intermediate Male BHUL - Dan Rider
____________Intermediate Female UNL - Julia Mentzer

____________2000 Target Champion
____________Men's UNL A - Vern Vandevevender - 2nd
____________BHUL AA - Bob Weaver - 2nd

____________2000 Field Championship
____________Men UNL A - Jim Stamer - 1st
____________BHUL AA - Bob Weaver - 3rd
____________Male Int. UNL B - David Rider - 1st
____________Women's UNL A - Julia Mentzer - 2nd
____________Bow Hunter Unlimited Team of Bob Weaver, Phil Mentzer, Joe Kuhn and Mike Rider -1st

____________2000 Bow hunter Championship
____________BHUL - Bob Weaver - 1st
____________BHUL - Phil Mentzer - 2nd


____________

BASIC YOUTH ARCHERY PROGRAM
By Mike Rider

______Youth archery for 2001 will begin with registration in the old clubhouse Saturday, Jan. 20, 2001 at 8:00 AM. The course will run for six weeks on Saturday morning from 8:00 AM until 9:30 AM. We welcome all youth from nine to fifteen years of age. You do not have to own your own equipment; there is equipment available at the club. Youth who participated last year are encouraged to get out their equipment and join us again. The equipment is limited, so please contact Mike Rider at 766-8906 to reserve a spot for you!!

MSA HOSTS SUCCESSFUL
HIGH POWER RIFLE SEASON
By Ron Keslar

______The year 2000 saw Mechanicsburg Sportsmen's first high power rifle competition. Our club is affiliated with the NRA and the Civilian Marksmanship Programs, both of which encourage center fire rifle match events. Matches were held on July 4, September 3, and October 8, with 64 competitors in all. The July match was reported in MSA's last newsletter. All matches were 50-shot, 500 possible points.

______Sean Leighton, NRA High Master from Mechanicsburg, won the September match with a 482-13x score. Mike Orwan, High Master from Hummelstown, came in a close second with a 481-7x. Third went to Boiling Springs' Mark Burkhead, who shot an Expert's score, 452-7x. Dave Beers made fourth, 448-3x; Dave Brandt was fifth, 443-4x; Linda Tucker came in sixth, 440-6x.

______Burkhead cleared out the Marksman class with his outstanding score, Beers took first place among the unclassified shooters. Jim Stewart bested the rest of the Experts with 437-4x; Tucker was the top Sharpshooter. High Senior went to 71-year old Frank Kenski; High Junior was 16-year old Jason Burkhead.

______October's finishing lineup saw a new set of winners: MSA's Dan Meck claimed first place with his 467-2x; Bill Laird of Mechanicsburg took second with 457-7x. Linda Tucker came in third, 453-4x; Brion Zutell was forth, 448-5x. Ron Keslar's 444-3x brought him fifth place; for sixth place it took a count of x's for Dave Beers (439-8x) to break a tie score with Mark Burkhead (439-4x).

______Meck, who just began shooting High Power Rifle this year, was tops among the Unclassified shooters. Congratulations, Dan!! Bill Laird was high Expert; Tucker got high Sharpshooter; Mark Burkhead took high Marksman. Once again, Kenski grabbed high senior honors; Jason Burkhead won high Junior.

______American Legion Post 1001 co-sponsors these events and has shown MSA that High Power Service Rifle competition is an exciting sport. It requires the use of an M1 Garand, M1A, or AR-15, although '03 Springfield, '17 Enfield, British SMLE's and other military rifles may be used too. Our program is designed for new shooters as well as experienced competitors; almost half of those who came out had never fired a match before. Most of the new folks had a great experience and came back for more, just ask Dave Beers, Dennis Fillmore, Brian Shrauder, and Dan Meck!!

______Next year's schedule will soon be posted at the club and on the Internet. For those who fancy hunting rifles, look for our NRA-approved High Power Sporting Rifle events. Contact Ron Keslar if you have any questions.